Printing and stamping machine



Jan. 28, 1930. JAHN 1,744,770

PRINTING AND STAMPING MACHINE Filed April 13, 1927 7 Sheets-Sheet l mvsyo Jan. 28, 1930. R. F. JAHN 1,744,770

PRINTING AND STAMPING MACHINE Filed April 15; 1927 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 3 3. 2. L: myToLRiM Jan. 28, 1930. R. F. JAHN PRINTING AND STAMPING MACHINE Filed April 13, 1927 7 Sheets-Sheet l 2W R BY I ATZORNEY Jan. 28, 1930. R. F. JAHN 1,744,770

PRINTING AND STAMPING MACHINE Filed April 13, 1927 '7 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR 494/1 BY AT RNEY Jan. 28, 1930. R. F. JAHN 1,744,770

PRINTING AND STAMPING MACHINE Filed April 15, 1927 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVEgjTOR g Y ATgRmEvj Jan. 28, 1930. R. F. JAHN 1,744,770

PRINTING AND STAMPING MACHINE Filed April 13, 1927 7 Sheets-Sheet '6 Jan. 2 8, 1930. R. F. JAHN 1,744,770

PRINTING AND STAMPING MACHINE Filed April 13, 1927 '7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Patented Jan. 28, 1930 PATENT OFFICE RAYMOND F. J AHN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK PRINTING AND STAMPING MACHINE Application filed April 13,

This invention relates to improvements in printing and stamping machines, and has particular reference to such devices which are adapted for endorsing, cancelling, or otherwise printing upon bank checks, tickets, letters, and similar articles.

One of the general objects of the invention is to provide a machine of the above mentioned character which is power driven and lo capable of expeditiously operating upon a quantity of successively fed paper sheets or like articles, and in which certain of the type on the printing unit can be easily changed as and when desired. More specifically, the

printing couple includes a rotatable printing roller which is provided on its periphery with a fixed printing die, and havin a slot adjacent to or through said fixed die, throu h which interchangeable type elements may e selectively brought to a printing position in association with the fixed die. An important feature of the invention is the provision of interchangeable type elements within the printing roller, said type elements being in- 2 dependently movable radially in a type carrier when alined with the opening in the roller, and the selective alinement being accomplished by actuating or setting mechanism outside of the roller. Preferably there are a plurality of sets of type elements, one

set being for months, two sets of numerals for days, and one set for years. Each set of type elements has an independent type carrier including a gear, and the roller is suitably slotted to expose portions of said gears whereby to engage them with the setting mechanism. Another feature of the invention is the provision of means for locking the selected type elements in the printing position, said means including a cam which extends longitudinally in the roller, and which operates against type ejector bars associated with the type carriers. A feature of this construction is that the selected and projected type elements are very firmly anchored in place for printing. Furthermore, the slot in the fixed die plate is not restricted as to position with reference to the edges of the plate, but may be varied as desired in different plates, and the interchangeable type carriers,

1927. Serial No. 183,318.

together with their supporting sleeve and e ectmg means may be correspondingly rotated to other normal positions within the printing roller.

The actuating or setting mechanism is in the form of a plurality of independently rotatable concentric tubes, each of which has at one of its ends an indicating dial, and at 1ts other end a gear which is adapted to mesh with one of the type carrier gears. Another feature of the invention is the provision of such a setting mechanism which is movable toward and away from the printing roller, the tubes being preferably supported in the free ends of swinging arms, and the movement of said arms being controlled by a cam which is mounted for simultaneous movement with the type projecting and locking cam.

The invention further contemplates the provlsion of a novel inking mechanism for a printing machine of the above mentioned character, in which an ink well is mounted on a pair of swinging arms and provided with an 111k roller and a wiping roller. The arms which support the ink well are eccentrically p voted to another pair of arms, which are pivoted to the main frame or base of the machine, and said last mentioned arms carry a distributing roller which mutually engages the ink roller and the printing roller. Thus the ink roller and the distributing roller are normally held yieldingly against the printmg roller, and a suitable latch is provided for rendering the inking mechanism inactive when desired.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of novel means for equalizing the pressure of the impression roller which cooperates with the printing roller. The impression roller is continuously rotatable in a supporting frame which is yieldably supported adjacent one of its ends, said frame being capable of both a straight line movement and an armate movement in the common plane of the impression and printing rollers. By having the impression roller supporting frame supported at one end only, a free passage is left at the other end for checks which are longer than the rollers, and thus the machine is capable of printin upon checks of any length, though the rofiers are no longer than actually necessary for printing.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provisionof a simplified and eflicient drivingconnecti'on for the printing couple, the mating roller being intermittently rotata le through the instrumentality of a clutch and a tripping mechanism. The printing roller is normally held against rotation and is automatically released when a check or other similar article is introduced to the feed rolls, and after being thus released, it is permitted to make only one complete revolution. The clutch has a portion associated with the intermittently rotatable printing roller, and another portion asociated with a constantly rotatable feed roller which is driven by a worm and worm gear from an electric motor. The motor shaft and the worm are connected together by a flexible coupling, and the principal rotating parts are journalled in anti-friction bearings whereby their operation will be exceedingly smooth and eificient.

The operative mechanism is enclosed in a protective casing which has a top wall forming a convenient feeding table at one side of the rollers and a receiving or stacking table at the opposite side of the rollers. Said table portions of the casing are preferably at different levels and connected by an inclined guide for the sheets being fed, the guide being apertured to permit mutual contact of the rollers, and one of the rollers being above said guide and top wall of the casing, while the the other roller is below it or within the casing. The checks or other articles to be printed upon are fed, one at a time, between the rollers and are stacked in a substantially vertical column on the receiving table at the rear of the rollers, each succeeding check being delivered to the bottom of the column. The novel stacking mechanism is characterized by a pair of rotating cylindrical rollers which partially support the column of stacked checks without extensive vibration, and which receive the checks from the delivery side of the printing couple and feed them to the bottom of the column.

These and other features and advantages will be readily apparent from the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein one form of the invention has been shown by way of illustration, and wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved printing machine;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof, with portions of the casing broken away;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation thereof, parts being broken away and parts in section;

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view through the same on line 44 of Fig.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 4 showing the normal position of the parts, ready for operation;

Fig. 6 is a similar fragmentary view of the tripping mechanism after the printing roller has been released;

Fig. 7 is a detail View of the printing roller, partly in elevation and partly in section;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional View on line 8-8 of Fig. 7; I

Fig. 9 is a vertical transverse sectional view through the printing roller and setting mechanism, showing how the selected type elements are locked in printing position;

Fig. 10 is a detail perspective view of one of the type carriers;

Fig. 11 is a detail perspective view of one of the individual type elements;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary end elevation, partly in section, showing the means for engaging and disengaging the setting mechanism; and

Fig. 13 is a vertical sectional view through the drive shaft coupling and gearing.

The invention has been shown as embodied in a machine for endorsing bank checks, and in the following description, when bank checks are specified in connection with the operation of the device, it is to be understood that their equivalents may be operated upon in the same way. The device comprises a substantially flat base plate A here shown as of rectangular outline and preferably having a plurality of cushion feet A whereby to be supported upon a desk, table, or the like without likelihood of damaging the surface thereof. Secured to the base plate A intermediate its ends is a supporting bracket A having a pair of upwardly extending spaced arms A and A said arms being disposed adjacent the opposite side edges of the base plate. Also integral with the bracket A and extending upwardly therefrom, between said arms A and A, is a shorter arm A, which supports certain portions of the mechanism as will hereinafter be explained. Adjacent their upper ends, the arms A and A are provided with bearing bosses A and A respectively, having axially alined openings A and A in which are secured stationary mounting shafts A and A, the inner ends of which are spaced from each other to rotatably support a novel printing roller B of the printing couple. 7

The printing roller B is built up of several parts, and includes a relatively thin walled cylindrical shell formed of semicylindrical sections B and 13, supported at their opposite ends by disks B and B, which are respectively formed with outwardly extending hub portions B and B as best shown in Fig. 4. The shell section B is permanently secured to the disks B and B, while the section B is readily detachable therefrom, it

normally having one of its ends disposed in a groove B in the disk B, while its other end is enga ed by a spring catch B. On its outer sur ace, the detachable shell section B carries a printing or stamping die B having the desired legends B W ich for convenience I term the permanent or fixed printing indicia, to distinguish the same from the changeable )rinting elements to be described presently. 'n order to rotatably support the printing roller B. the hub portions B and B are respectively countcrbored as at B and B to form the outer races for hearing balls B which seat against the beveled ends A and A? of the stationary mounting A and A The inner side of the disk B is provided with a substantially central cylindrical pro-. 'ection B upon which is mounted a sleeve l3", said sleeve rotatably supporting a plurality of type carriers, here shown as four in number, and designated by the reference characters B, B", B, and B". Either a greater or less number of such type carriers may be used as desired, and they may differ slightly in thickness, but their characteristics will be the same, and a detail description of one will be suflicient. As best shown in Fig. 10, the type carrier B comprises a substantially cylindrical body portion B having at one of its ends a relatively narrow gear B of the same outside diameter as said body portion. Asubstantiallycentral bore B extends longitudinally through the carrier for fitting upon the sleeve B and at one of its ends is a counterbore B The body portion B is formed with a plurality of radial slots B which intersect the counterbore B and which constitute guides for interchangeable type elements B in the form of independently movable slugs (Fig. 11). Each of the type elements has a lateral offset or extension B extending into the counterbore B and all of said slugs or type elements are normally drawn inwardly againstthe sleeve B by an expansible spring B encircling the lateral' extensions B- (Fig. 9). Thus the type carriers and type elements are contained entirely within the shell of the printing roller B, with the exception of the selected type elements B which are extended to printing position through alined slots B'- in the shell section B and die B, and said selected type elements B are firmly maintained in printing position by a bar B disposed in a longitudinal slot B in the sleeve B. The bar B and slot 13 are of the same thickness as the interchangeable type elements B and in midial alinement with the slot B which defines the printing position, said bar B being movable into and out of the selected radial slots of the type carriers B to B inclusive, by means of a cam B which is rotatable in the bore B of the sleeve B (Fig. 9). It will be evident that when the parts are in position as shown in Fig. 9, the interchangeable type carriers will be held against rotation with reference to the sleeve B by the bar B and further, that when the cam B is turned about the axis of the roller through an angle of 180, the bar B will be moved inwardly by the pressure of the spring B against the lateral extension B of type element B. In such condition, the outer ed e of the bar B is flush with the outer surfitce of the sleeve B", rendering the type carriers B" to B" independently rotatable within the roller B. Secured to and rotatable with the cam B is a disk B positioned adjacent to the inner side of the roller disk B, and at a suitable point in its surface, is a socket B for a springpressed ball B, which is adapted to seat in one or the other of the recesses B and B in the opposed face of the disk B. The recesses B and B are disposed at diametrically opposite sides of the axis of the roller B, and the arrangement is such that the recess B" defines the locking osition of the cam B-" while the recess B" efines the unlocking position. The spring B is secured to the sleeve B by means of a screw B and has its outer end offset at B for interlocking engagement in a notch B in the detachable plate B said notch being substantially in line with the slot B in said plate. The sleeve B" can be rotated with reference to the disk B when the die plate B is removed, and in view of this fact, the location of the slot B may be varied as required by different printing indicia B From this it will be evident that the machine is capable of use for several different stamping operations, by having a plurality of interchangeable plates B'-, and the change from one to the other can be easily and quickly eflected. The type carriers are held against longitudinal movement on the sleeve B by means of a spacing block B", and the respective gears B of said type carriers are accessible through slots B in the casing section B, said slots permitting engagement of said gears by a setting mechanism.

Mounted upon the hub portion B of the mounting disk B is a ball bearing B against the outer race of which rests one end portion of an impression roller B, said impression roller being yieldably held in parallel relation to the printing roller B and havin its other end portion engaging against a fee roller 0. The feed roller C is coaxial with the printing roller B and adapted to be intermittently connected therewith to rotate said roller B, and is itself rotatable on anti-friction rollers C on the mounting shaft A. Secured to the outer side of the feed roller C, as by screws C, is a worm gear C" which meshes with and is driven by a worm C on a shaft C,said shaft being journalled in ball bearings at O in a bracket C". The bracket C is suspended on the mounting shaft A, as best shown in Figs. 4 and 13, and secured thereto by a set screw C, and the shaft C extends in a direction transverse to that of the axis of the printing roller, and forwardly beyond the bracket C for connection to a driving shaft C of a motor C. The shafts C and C are substantially coaxial and connected together by a flexible coupling C", which has been shown as comprising a pair of disks C and C, se cured to the respective shafts C and C, and an intermediate disk C of flexible material. The disks C and C are each provided Willi a pair of diametrically opposed apertures C and said apertures of the respective disks are disposed at right angles (Fig. 13) The intermediate disk C is provided with four apertures C 90 apart, and is connected to the disk C by a U shaped pin C and to the disk C by a similar U shaped pin C The motor C may be of any desired type, and is secured by screws C to main base A and is furnished with electric current'through a conductor C, and controlled by a manually Operable switch C Novel means are employed for connecting the feed roller with the printing roller B whereby to intermittently rotate the latter one revolution at a time, said means including a clutch and a tripping mechanism. The clutch comprises a pair of semi-circular jaws D and D provided on their inner surfaces with suitable friction material D for engagement against the periphery of a clutch collar D which is carried by the printing roller hub B The jaws D and D are disposed within a recess C in the inner end of the feed roller C and are secured thereto by clamping between a pair of fparallel pins D which are secured to said eed roller C The opposite ends of the jaws D and D have outwardly extending lugs D and D which are apertured for the reception of a screw D, said screw being fitted with a nut D against the outer side of the lug D, and having a spring 1) between the screw head D and the outer side of the lug D The spring 13" is under compression whereby to normally force the lugs D and D toward each other, and thereby cause the desired frictional engagement of the clutch lining D with the clutch collar D and in such condition the printing roller B will be caused to rotate with the feed roller C provided said feed roller is not otherwise held against rotation. The spring D provides a cushioning effect against the tightenin g of the screw D and also restrains said screw from turning loose.

Mounted upon the upper end of the stationarv bracket arm A, and in substantially ver-. tidal alinement with the axis of the printing roller, is a stop wheel D which may preferablyberotatableuponascrewD". Carriedby the printing roller and pivoted to the mounting disk B at D is a stop lever D having at it-s free end a roller D which is adapted to normally abut against the roller D and thus prevent rotation of the printing roller. The stop lever D has its free and normally forced outwardly by a compression spring D which is partially disposed in a recess D in the hub portion B, and at its other end said stop lever is provided with an arm D formed at its extremity with a shouldered notch D Also pivoted to the disk B as at D, is a trip lever D, which has a tooth portion D adapted to enga e in the notch D to maintain the stop lever in its outermost position as shown in Fig. 5. The trip lever D is under the influence of a tension spring D which has one of its ends connected to said trip lever at D, and its other end anchored to the roller disk B at D, said spring normally maintaining the tooth D'- in the notch D. Extending outwardly from the trip lever D is a finger portion D", said finger portion extending beyond the periphery of the printing roller B and into a groove B" in the impression roller B. Bank checks or other similar articles are presented to the printing couple in the usual manner and are drawn inwardly by the constantly rotating feed roller C and the impression roller B and since the finger portion D of the trip lever is disposed in the path of said checks, it will be moved rearwardly about the pivot D disengaging the tooth D from the notch D As the stop lever D is thus released, the printing roller is free to rotate, the roller D riding over the stop roller D, (as shown in Fig. 6) and as rotation continues to the point where the rollers D and D" become disengaged, the spring I)" again forces the free end of the stop lever B outwardly, and thereafter the finger D becomes disengaged from the entering edge of the check, permitting the return of the tooth D into the notch D The printing roller continues to rotate until it is again arrested by the abutment of the locked lever D with the stop roller D overcoming the frictional grip of the clutch jaws D and D on the collar D and permitting subsequent slippage of said clutch jaws around the collar. This operation is repeated as each successive check is inserted and the checks are printed upon as they pass between the' rollers B and B of the printing couple. Because of the fact that the trip lever and the stop lever are independently pivoted upon the end of the printing roller the pressure required for releasing or tripping the mechanism will be very slight and therefore it can easily be accomplished with a thin piece of paper without injury to the same.

In order to equally distribute the pressure of the impression roller, B, on the printing roller, a novel yielding support is provided for the impression roller. For this purpose, said impression roller is mounted for rotation upon ball bearings E held on the ends of opposed set screws E and E which are anchore-d in the end portions E and E of a guard member E, said guard member affording substantial protection to the impression roller B. Secured to the end member E of the guard is a yoke having spaced parallel ortions E and E, each of which is provider with a relatively fiat inner surface E which bears against a supporting post E extending upwardly from the upper end of the stationary supporting arm A. The post E is provided with a substantially vertical slot E as best shown in Figs. 3 and 4, and

the yoke portions E and E are provided with a transversely extending pin E which is disposed in said slot E" and guided for vertical movement thereby. The guard E is thus held against lateral movements by the relatively flat bearing surfaces E and is capable of bodily movement in a straight line in the common plane of the cooperating rollers B and B, and in addition to this straight line movement, said guard member is capable of arcuate movement about the center-of the pin E. Extending inwardly adjacent the lower end of the post E is an anchoring pin E to which is secured the lower end of a coiled spring E having its upper end similarly anchored to a fixed pin E which extends transversely between the yoke portions E and E The spring E normally exerts a downward pressure on the guard E and said pressure is communicated uniformly throughout the length of the impression roller by virtue of the fact that said guard is capable of both arcuate and straight line movement. At the outer side of the post E is an anchoring pin 13] similar in all respects to the pin E and having secured to it one end of a coiled spring E whose other end is attached to a transverse pin E carried by the yoke portions E and E1 The spring 13 assists the spring E inexerting the desired pressure for feeding purposes in the printing couple, and it will be evident that said feeding pressure will be effective at all times, even though there should be variations in the thickness of an article, such as a letter, being printed upon. This feature is particularly valuable in connection with mail marking or cancelling machines.

As the machine is operated as above described, the printing roller B is provided with. quick drying ink .in any desired manner. The preferred inking mechanism is illustrated in Fig. 5 and comprises an ink well F provided at its opposite ends with arms F which are pivotally attached to swinging arms F by means of pins F The arms F are pivotally supported on a stationary rod F which extends longitudinally between the stationary arms A and A, the pins F being eccentrically disposed with reference to said rod F and each of the arms F has secured to its outer end one end of a tension spring F, the other end of which is anchored at F to the base of the machine. The force of the spring F is oblique to the direction of the arms F and the arrangement is such that the upper ends of the arms F as well as the ink well F are normally urged upwardly toward the printmg roller B. Rotatable with the ink well F and partially below the surface of the ink is a roller F which has surface contact with a distributing roller F, of felt or similar material, said distributing roller in turn having surface contact with the printing roller B. The distributing roller F is provided at its ends with trunnions F which are received in downwardly inclined slots F, in the upper ends of the swim ing arms F and saidarms F 'are provide adjacent their lower endswith projections F adapted to abut against adjusting screws F to limit the movements of said arms toward the roller B. A wiping roller F is also rotatably associated with the ink roller F t having trunnions F received in slots F 1n the end walls of the ink well F andsaid wiping roller engages the surface of the ink roller to relieve the same of superfluous ink before it rolls against the intermediate distributing roller F. Thus a uniform amount of ink will at all times be applied to the die as the printing roller rotates, and there will be no feeding or distributing of ink when the printing roller is not rotating. To con1- pensate for wear of the various parts, the adjusting screws F" may be turned either in or out to determine the desired limit for the roller F.

Integral with the base A and forwardly of the ink well, is a slotted lug F in which is pivoted at F a latch F said latch having a hook portion F adjacent its upper end for engagement with the upper edge of the ink well F A compression spring F normally forces said hook portion F to ward the ink well, and when it is desired to temporarily discontinue the ink supply, (for example, when the roller F has become saturated), the ink well is pressed downwardly about the pins F to the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 5, in which position the latch holds it. In this condition, the printing roller B will continue to be inked by the distributing roller F, due to the action of the springs F on the arms F indirectly through the ink well arms F Returning now to the interchangeable type, the setting mechanism therefor will be described. As best shown in Fig. 4 the outer end of the cam B is provided with a slot G in which is adapted to be engaged the inner end Gr of a rod G said rod being rotatable and slidable longitudinally within the stationary mounting shaft A". The outer end of said rod G. has secured to it a finger piece such as a knurled wheel or knob G which carries a pair of inwardly extending pins or screws G for connection to acam G. The cam G" is best shown in Fig. 12 and is rotatably supported upon the stationary shaft A, the pins or screws G being capable of sliding movement with reference to the cam as the rod G is moved longitudinally to engage or disengage the extension G with reference to the slot G Riding against the outer surface of the cam G" is a shoe or roller G which is secured as at G to a swinging arm G attached rigidly to the rod F. A similar swinging arm G is attached to the rod F 5 adjacent to the stationary arm A, and extending between the free ends of said arms G and G are a pluralitv of concentric tubes G, G G and it. v Said tubes are independently rotatable about their common axis which is parallel to the axis of the printing roller B, and in order to rotate said tubes they are respectively provided with dials G G G", and G. v The tubes G to G. inclusive, are of graduated lengths as will be readily understood from Fig. 4. and they are respectively fitted at their inner ends with gears G, G, G, and G meshing with the gears B of the several interchangeable type carriers, B to B inclusive. By rotating the cam G through the instrumentality of the knob G the swinging arms G and G will be moved toward and away from the printing roller B. causing the above mentioned gears to be engaged or disengaged, as the case may be. \Vlieii the cam is so rotated while the extension G is engaged with the slot G the type ejecting cam B will also be rotated, causing the bar B to be drawn into the sleeve 13 and rendering the type carriers independently rotatable upon said sleeve. In such movement the swinging arms are moved toward the roller 13 causing the gears G to G. inclusive, to become meshed with the gears of the several type carriers, and in such condition the various dials G to G may be independently rotated to present selected type elements B to the printing posltlon. Thereafter, the knob G may be turned 1n either direction 180, causing said selected type elements to be projected through the slot in the dieB and locking the selected type elements in such projected positions. Thus the machine is set for operation as above described.

All of the mechanism, with the exception of the impression roller B and its supporting means, are disposed within a protective casing which includes sidewalls H and a top Wall H said top wall having its forward portion H substantially flat to provide a feeding table on which the articles to be printed upon may be disposed. The rearward portion H of said top wall provides a receiving table at the delivery side of the printing couple. and said portion H is preferably disposed in a plane below that of the portion H and connected thereto by an inclined guide portion H. The inclined portion H is necessarily provided with an opening H" (Fig. 4) having a pair of rearward extensions H (Fig. 1) to permit the mutual contact of the impression roller and the printing roller.

Mounted on the upper side of the casing portion H is an angle plate having an upright portion H constituting a back stop, and horizontal portions H, said angle plate being tiltable and removable from the casing and bemg adapted to receive the delivered checks from the printing couple. A shaft H is rotatably supported in bracket arms H and H which extend rearwardly from the supporting standards A and A and said shaft H carries a pair of spaced cylindrical stacker wheels H and H (Figs. 2 and 13), which extend partially above the casing portion H n the opening H. Secured to said shaft H is a pulley H, by which the shaft and stacker wheels are rotated through the instrumental- -ity of a friction idler H. The idler engages the outer surface of the feed roller 0 and is carried at the upper end of a pivoted arm H", which in turn is mounted at H in one end of a lever H The lever H is pivoted intermediate its ends on the rod F and has attached to its other end, as at H, a spring H, the lower end of which is secured to an anchoring pin H in the mounting bracket A The spring H normally urges the lever H in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 13, forcing the idler H into driving relation with the feed roller C and pulley H whereby to rotate the stacker wheels inthe same direction as the printing roller rotates. As best shown in Fig. 3, the front edges of the delivered checks are raised up by the stacker wheels to a plane above that in which the checks come through the printmg couple, and as'a result, the successive checks are positioned below the column of previously delivered checks on the angle plate H". Thus the cancelled checks are stacked automatically upon the angle plate in I exactly the same order in which they were fed through the printing couple, with the first check at the top of the column, and in view of the fact that the stacker wheels H and H are smooth and cylindrical, the column will be supported without vibration.

Itis thought that the structure and operation of the machine will be clear from the foregoing description, but brief recapitulation will-be resorted to. Assuming that the machine is to be used for endorsing checks, for example in a bank, the proper plate B with die B is mounted on the printing roller B, and then through the instrumentality of the knob G the cams G and B may be simultaneously rotated to unlock the interchangable type carriers B, B", B, and B and to engage the setting gears G", G G and G with the corresponding gears of said 1: pe carriers. The dials G", G", G", and (3 are then turned inde endently to select the desired ty e slugs for printing, whereupon sa1 type slugs can be locked in printing position and the setting gears disengaged by again turning the knob G half a revolution. In this condition, the ball B will be pressed into the recess 13*" maintaining the cam B against accidental displacement, and thus insuring a firm support for the selected type slugs B which have been projected to the printing position defined by the slot B in the die B. After looking at the inking means and engaging or disengag- 15 in the latch F with reference to the ink we 1 F dependent upon the condition of the.

distributing roller F. the machine is ready for use, and may be set into operation by moving the switch C to its on position, thus supplying electric current to the motor C to rotate the same.

As the motor shaft C rotates, the power is transmitted through the flexible joint C shaft C worm C and Worm gear C, to the a feed roller C and the impression roller B is caused to rotate in the opposite direction by virtue of its contact with the periphery of said feed roller. The printing roller B, however, is normally held against rotation by the abutment of the roller D with the stop member D", the clutch jaws D and D freely slipping around the clutch collar D. A pile of checks to be endorsed is then placed upon or. adjacent to the table portion H :5 of the casing, and said checks are then fed,

one at a time, through the printing couple, it is seized by and between the rotating feed roller C and impression roller B, and is carried rearwardly, its front edge striking the tri finger to release the lever D", whereupon t e clutch jaws D and D take hold of the collar D* and rotate the printing roller one revolution. Thus the checks are endorsed or otherwise printed upon, and are successively delivered to the receiving and stacking means rearward of the printing couple. The back stop H causes the delivered checks to come to rest in a column on the receiving table-H of the casing, and the constantly rotating stacker wheels H and H partially support said column and cause the successive checks to be delivered to the bottom of the column, face uppermost. The result is that when all the checks of the original stack have been run through the machine, they are still piled or stacked in their original order or sequence and they can very conveniently be rei moved from the receiving table by tilting the angle plate H H to a position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3.

The machine is very easy running, quiet, rapid, free from vibration, and so compact as to be readily portable if desired, and is particularly desirable because of the ease with which various plates B and dies B may be tinterchanged for different stamping opera- Obviously the invention is susceptible of numerous modifications in the details of construction and arrangements of parts, and the right is hereinreserved to make such changes as fall within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a printing machine, a printing roller comprising a cylindrical shell having a slot defining a rinting position for interchangeable type e ements, a plurality of radial type elements within the cylindrical shell, a carrier for said type elements, said carrier including a gear within the shell, actuating means adjacent the cylindrical shell adapted to engage the carrier gear to rotate the carrier whereby to aline a selected type element with the slot, and means for projecting the selected type element through said slot to the printing position.

2. In a printing machine, a printing roller comprising a cylindrical shell having a slot defining a printing position for interchangeable type elements, a plurality of radial type elements within the cylindrical shell, a carrier for said type elements, said carrier including a gear within the shell, actuating means adjacent the cylindrical shell adapted to engage the carrier gear to rotate the carrier whereby to aline a selected type element with the slot, means for projecting the selected type element through said slot to the printing position, and means for disengaging said actuating means from the carrier gear as the selected type element is moved to the printing position.

3. In a printing machine, a printing roller comprising a cylindrical shell having a slot defining a printing position for interchangeable type elements, a plurality of radial type elements within the cylindrical shell, a carrier for said type elements, said carrier including a gear within the shell, actuating means adjacent thecylindrical shell adapted to engage the carrier gear to rotate the carrier whereby to aline a selected type element with the slot, means for projectlng the selected type element through said slot to the printing position, and means including a cam for disengaging said actuating means from the carrier gear as the selected type element "is moved to the printing position.

4. In a printing machine, a printing roller comprising a cylindrical shell having a slot defining a rinting position for interchangeable type e ements, a plurality of radial type elements within the cylindrical shell, a carrier for said type elements, said carrier including a gear within the shell, actuating means adjacent the cylindrical shell adapted to engage the carrier gear to rotate the carrier whereby to aline a selected type element with the slot, and means for projecting the selected type element through said slot to the printing position, said actuating means being mounted for movement toward and away from the axis of the roller whereby to be selectively engaged with and disengaged Irom the carrier gear.

5. In a printing machine, a printing roller comprising a cylindrical shell having a slot defining a )rinting position for interchangeable type elements, a plurality of radial type elements within the cylindrical shell, a carrier for said type elements, said carrier including a gear within the shell, actuating means adjacent the cylindrical shell adapted to engage the carrier gear to rotate the carrier whereby to aline a selected type element with the slot, and means for projecting the selected type element through said slot to the printing position, said actuating means being mounted for movement toward and away from the axis of the roller whereby to be selectively engaged with and disengaged from the carrier gear, said movement of the actuating means being efi'ected simultaneously with the radial movement of the type element through the slot.

6. In a printing machine, a printing roller comprising a cylindrical shell having a slot defining a printing position for interchangeable type elements, a plurality of type elements within the cylindrical shell, a carrier for said type elements, said carrier including a ear within the shell and provided with ra ial slots for containing the type elements, an actuating gear adjacent to the shell and adapted to partially extend through it to engage the carrier gear whereby to rotate the carrier gear to alme a selected type element with the slot in the roller shell, a pivoted supporting arm for the actuating gear capable of movement toward and away from the axis of the roller, means including a cam within the carrier for radially moving the selected type element through the slot in the shell, and means operable with said cam for disengaging the actuating gear from the carrier gear as said type element is moved outward] y in the slot.

7. In combination with a rotatable print ing member, a plurality of interchangeable type carriers mounted for rotation with and with reference to the printing member, said carriers being independently adjustable, and each carrier including a gear, actuating means including a plurality of concentric, independently rotatable tubes, a gear mounted on each tube to mesh with one of the carrier gears, and means for moving said tubes and actuating gears toward and away from the carrier gears to engage and disengage the same.

8. A printing roller comprisin a cylindrical shell, a substantially central ub there'- in, a type carrier rotatably mounted on said hub, said carrier having radial type guides, a plurality of type slugs disposed in said radial guides, said type slugs having lateral extensions, and an expansible spring encircling the hub and engaging the lateral extensions, tending to restrain the type slugs from outward radial movement.

9. In a printing machine, a printing roller including a-printing plate provided with a slot to define a printing position for interchangeable type elements, a plurality of radial type elements within the roller, a carrier for said type elements, means for rotating said carrier with reference to the roller to aline a selected type element with the slot, and means associated with said carrier for extending a selected type element through the slot in the printing plate and for locking it in such position, said extending and locking means being operable in difl'erent positions dependent upon the location of the slot.

In testimony whereof, I have aifixed my signature hereto.

RAYMOND I JAHN. 

